Islamic Finance in Southeast Asia: Local Practice, Global Impact

This symposium brought together leading academics and practitioners to cover a broad array of topics relating to Islamic finance in Southeast Asia. The following questions guided discussion: How are Islamic principles interpreted and applied across the regions and what explains the variations in the application of Islamic principles in different Muslim countries? What roles do Islamic beliefs and social values play in adopting Islamic finance? As an increasingly appealing alternative to conventional products, how does the attraction of Islamic banking, insurance, and other products reflect social, political, and economic undercurrents in Southeast Asia? How can multinational corporations adjust to, and benefit from, growing Islamic finance trends in Southeast Asia and elsewhere?

This event was sponsored by the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs and the National Bureau of Asian Research.